Villa Nemini Teneri

In Sicily, a Bauhaus-Influenced Villa Crafted of Cork and Raw Curves

Constructed out of raw concrete, cork panels and X-LAM wood, this starkly beautiful home is at once strong and elegantly graceful. Owners Francesca and Bruno worked with Italian architect Giovannni Benedetti, who conceived of the home’s undulating shape in collaboration with Turin-based firm Errante Architetture, then brought on Sicilian-based Studio Darch3 to help with the urban planning.

It is the first residence in Sicily that is entirely cork-clad and was designed by an Italian architecture firm with minimalist sensibilities. Situated among carob and olive trees, the contrast is simply marvelous.

Energy is conserved through superior insulation and state-of-the-art ventilation, while the home’s artificial lake supplies the home with purified water. A natural, 20 meter swimming pool beckons lazy days or rigorous laps, while the outdoor areas are planted with low-water vegetation, with garden views all the way out to the sea.

An avant-garde stunner that lets remain only the highest-quality choices, this is a thrilling architectural experience in the Sicilian countryside where less truly is more.

Villa Nemini Teneri is a 180m2 villa in Sicily, composed of three floors. With three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, the house can accommodate up to six guests.

On the lower floor, you’ll find a double bedroom with an ensuite bathroom. An adjoining outdoor area is covered and furnished with lounge chairs. You may reach this bedroom from the outside, or via a staircase next to the main entrance.

On the ground floor is the living room, furnished with designer chairs. Sliding doors allow access to both sides to the terrace and patio. A few steps up is the spacious kitchen with Gaggenau appliances and a dining area, also with sliding glass access to the terrace. Adjacent to the kitchen is one guest bathroom, and there is one double bedroom on this floor with its own entrance, an ensuite bathroom and direct access to the garden.

On the first floor is the master bedroom with a double bed and ensuite bathroom with a shower. The room has a panoramic terrace/balcony with a small sofa and chairs and a built-in lounge bench. An extra bed can be added to this room.

The villa has air conditioning/heating, WiFi, and satellite television. Read more about the design of this home in our magazine here.

Around

Situated on the southeast coast of Sicily, Villa Nemini Teneri is 2km from Sampieri, a coastal fishing village with a 2km-long beach where you could easily spend a whole day. The golden sand has beach clubs, pedal boats rentals, or you can rent an umbrella and chairs and lounge around or build sandcastles with the kids. The beach ends in a high cliff above a clear sea that is known to attract divers and snorkelers, and nearby are also the beautiful beaches of Donnalucata and Marina di Modica.

From here, it's easy to make day trips to the UNESCO-protected towns of Modica, Ispica, Noto, Siracusa, Marzamemi, Scicli, Ragusa Ibla and the natural reserves of Vendicari and Cava Grande. 

Location

Sicily, Italy. Closest airports: Comiso (30km) and Catania (87km).

Best time to visit

Pleasant weather can be found in April, May, October and November, with June and July as the hottest months.